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Platini prepares to announce FIFA election plan

By WTOP Staff

GRAHAM DUNBAR
AP Sports Writer

GENEVA (AP) — Michel Platini is set to announce Thursday if he will challenge former mentor Sepp Blatter for the FIFA presidency.

The UEFA president will meet the leaders of his 54 member federations at the Champions League draw in Monaco before holding a news conference to explain his decision.

“He will present his plan and they will give him their feedback,” UEFA spokesman Pedro Pinto told the Associated Press on Tuesday. “It is always his policy to consult the national associations before making a big decision.”

Platini is the long-time favorite to succeed Blatter, but would have a daunting task to unseat a rival who turns 79 before election day next May.

Blatter has led FIFA since 1998 and a successful, profitable World Cup only boosted his standing with football officials who show little desire for change.

Five of FIFA’s six continental bodies already supported Blatter’s expected candidacy at pre-tournament meetings in Brazil. Europe alone publicly opposed him.

Platini said then that FIFA “needs a breath of fresh air.”

“In the future I won’t support Blatter anymore. I’ve told him that,” Platini said on the eve of the World Cup in Sao Paulo.

Still, Blatter appeared confident and relishing a contest this month when he called out critics he did not identify.

“Don’t speak — go out and fight,” Blatter said at an annual event for his charity foundation in Switzerland. “And I am happy to fight. But if you take the risk (to be in the election) you also have the chance to lose.”

Blatter has yet to formally declare his candidacy with FIFA setting a January deadline. The May 29 election is a secret ballot of FIFA’s 209 member countries in Zurich.

Now 59, Platini seemed the natural heir to Blatter when the former France great was re-elected by acclaim to lead UEFA in March 2011.

Blatter had a front-row seat then in Paris, and had earlier assured European officials he would leave FIFA if they helped elect him to a final four-year term.

Blatter has steadily shifted from that pledge, provoking senior UEFA officials to urge him in Brazil to step aside.

After a hostile meeting in Sao Paulo, Netherlands federation president Michael van Praag emerged as a possible UEFA-backed alternative to Platini.

Platini has been rewarded for patience before. He won the UEFA presidency in 2007, in a close-fought vote against Lennart Johansson, after deciding not to challenge the longtime incumbent from Sweden in 2002.

Speaking in May, Johansson told the AP he thought Platini might wait to seek the FIFA role.

“I think he will do it one day but not now,” Johansson said, adding that his successor as UEFA president “is happy to be in charge of the biggest confederation.”

Also in Monaco, soccer politics involving Crimea and Qatar will be discussed on the sidelines.

Delegates from Russia and Ukraine will seek talks on a dispute over clubs from the Crimea region which threatens to provoke disciplinary action from UEFA and FIFA.

Russian football authorities have tried to integrate the lower-tier clubs in their competitions without authority from UEFA, which refuses to recognize matches already played.

UEFA could yet suspend Russian teams, including CSKA Moscow from the Champions League. The Crimean issue is complicated by Russia’s status as 2018 World Cup host because FIFA has rules prohibiting government interference in football decisions.

European club delegates meeting this week hope to influence future FIFA-led talks on a calendar for national team matches after the 2018 World Cup through the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

FIFA’s executive committee is expected to decide next March that the 2022 tournament must kick off in November, forcing European club competitions to change their traditional schedules for up to three seasons.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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